Improvement in modes of destroying cocoa-grass



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. KENNE OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MODES CF DESTROYING COCOA-GRASS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 3,296, dated October 9,1843.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY BOLLINGER KENNER, ot' the citv of New Orleans,Louisiana, have discovered a new and useful Plan or a Method ofDestroying the Uocoa-Grass-a grass well known by that name, which hascaused many plantations in this State and in other States andTerritories of the United States to be mere bog or waste land,untillable or unproductive of anything valuable.

I propose to reclaim and enrich and enliven these waste and injuredlands, plantations, or parts of plantations by destroying thecocoagrass, and in the process of destroying.

The nature of my discovery and plan orv method of destroying thecocoa-grass consists in using as agents tor that purpose thePalma-(lhristi nuts, (from which castor-oil is produced,) the hemp, andthe Jamestown-weed seeds in the following manner, to wit: Plow theground, which is seeded or set with the cocoa-grass, close, deep, andturn it well over early in the year, and after the disappearanceoffrostsay between the middle of March and the middle of April-sow inbroadcast or close drills and harrow in the Palma-Uhristi nuts, so as tohave a stand of at least one stalk to every twelve or eighteen inchessquare of ground, orso as to have the plants close enough to completelyshade or cover the ground from the sun. On the spring following the sameprocess must be repeated; or, instead thereof, it would be as good or abetter plan to let the stalks stand through the winter with a sufficientquantity of nuts on them for a second crop, and about the disappearanceof frost beat down stalks and nuts and plough them into the ground.About the same time in the third spring or year one of the foregoingprocesses must be repeated, and to which should be added a sowing of thehemp and Jamestown weed seeds in sufficient quantities to make atolerably dense stand ofthe hemp and Jamestown weeds. I11 each year orseason the plants should be left to grow until frost, as nature dlrects.These processes will effectually destroy every sprig and nut of thecocoagrass, and very essentially manure or enrich and enliven the soil.

1 would particularly call attention to the using of the Palma-Ohristinuts, hemp, and Jamestown-weed seeds on lands seeded or set withcocoa-grass, whether the farmers be sowing or planting in spring or anyother season of the year, by means of plowing, spading, or otherwise.

That which I claim as my discovery, for which I desire to have LettersPatent, is

The use or application of the Pallna-Ohristi nuts, the hem p,an(l theJamestown-weed seeds on or to lands, for the purpose of. destroying thecocoa-grass therein.

H. B. KENNER.

Witnesses! VINoEN'r GA LAWAY, J OHN VALENTINE, q RICHARD VALENTINE.

